Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.

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If you’re stressed out and tired, it’s hard to learn new things. Exercise, sleep, and a good diet are all essential for keeping your brain in peak condition, but you can also do the following to perform at your cognitive and creative best:

o Change perspectives. Improve mental flexibility by rapidly trying on new points of view. This exercises your mind. For example, what would a potential customer think about this idea? Your boss? Your competitors?

o Reboot. Take a break from work every hour, or more often if you’re already frazzled. Get out of your chair, water a plant, or just let your mind wander. These breaks recharge your brain.

o Summon a positive thought. Negative emotions impair thinking, memory, creativity, and strategic thinking. Try to crowd out unconstructive thoughts with positive ones, which improve these capabilities.

Adapted from “Prepare Your Brain for Change” by Margaret Moore, CEO of Wellcoaches Corporation, who explains ways to de-stress and de-clutter your mind so you can perform at your cognitive and creative best.

To watch her video presentation, please click here.

Also, you may wish to check out an anthology, Management Tips from Harvard Business Review, by clicking here.

Listening to classical music is one of my favorite sources for energy renewal. Specific recommendations include Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik Sinfonia Concertante, Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Respighi’s Ancient Airs and Dances I & III, and Arnold’s Dances (English, Scottish, Cornish, Irish, Welch).